Halloween

By Darla Victor

As a child, on Halloween, I hated masks. I thought they were shortcuts to a costume. Not to mention the fact that in those days, a Halloween mask was an uncomfortable plastic contraption that sat on your face and was difficult to see out of. I felt constricted, like I was being encased.

Today's Halloween masks range from a simple half mask to a full-headed rubber mask with hair. You rarely see the uncomfortable plastic masks they had in my day, but I still wouldn't wear one. They make me feel sick.

I think my best costumes have been where I use makeup instead. The best way to hide is right out in the open, to use your body language, your way of speech, your walk, to become the faerie, the witch, or the vampire.

Masks are a shortcut.